Skoda Rapid 2013 Owner's Manual page 70

Although the vehicle is equipped with airbags, seat belts must be worn. The front
airbags, for example, deploy only in some frontal collisions. The front airbags do
not deploy at a low speed frontal collisions, slight side collisions, rear-end colli-
sions, rollover, and in accidents in which the airbag deployment threshold was not
exceeded in the control unit.
Therefore, always wear your seat belt and make sure that all passengers are
wearing their seat belt correctly before driving!
What happens to occupants not wearing seat belts?
Fig. 47 The driver not wearing a seat belt is catapulted forward / A passen-
ger not wearing a seat belt on the rear seat is catapulted forward toward
the driver wearing a seat belt

First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 66.
Many people believe that you can support your body during a minor accident with
your hands. This is wrong!
Even at low impact speeds, forces are acting on your body that can not be prop-
ped up with your arms and hands. In the event of a frontal collision, occupants
not wearing a seat belt are catapulted forward and strike in an uncontrolled way
parts of the interior of the vehicle, such as steering wheel, instrument panel and
windscreen » fig. 47 - .
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belt! When the airbags deploy,
the airbags only offer additional protection. Airbags do not deploy in all types of
accidents. Even if the vehicle is equipped with an airbag system, all occupants
68
Safety
must be wearing seat belts properly during the ride, including the driver. This re-
duces the risk of serious or fatal injuries in the event of an accident – regardless
of whether an airbag exists for the seat.
An airbag deploys only once. To achieve the best possible protection, the seat
belts must be fastened always correctly to protect the occupants of the vehicle
also in case of accidents without airbag deployment. Occupants not wearing seat
belts can be catapulted out of the vehicle, thereby suffering even more serious or

fatal injuries.
It is also important that rear seat passengers fasten their seat belt as they will
otherwise be thrown through the vehicle in an uncontrolled manner in the event
of an accident. A rear seat passenger not wearing a seat belt is a danger not only
to himself but also for other persons in the vehicle
Frontal collision and the laws of physics
Fig. 48 A vehicle moves towards a wall with occupants not wearing seat
belts / A vehicle hits the wall with occupants not wearing seat belts

First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 66.
The physical principle of a frontal collision can be explained quite simply. Motion
energy, so-called "kinetic energy", is produced as soon as the vehicle is mov-
ing » fig. 48, both for the vehicle and its occupants.
The higher the vehicle speed and the higher the weight, the more energy must be
absorbed in the event of an accident.
The speed of the vehicle is, nevertheless, the more important factor. For example,
if the speed of approx. 15 mph (25 km/h) doubles to approx. 30 mph (50 km/h), the
kinetic energy increases four-fold!
» fig. 47 - .

